The faithful shepherd believes that to get others to follow them, he must be in front. He puts himself in harm’s way so that he can tend to his flock. As a master of healing and protecting magic, he is well equipped to protect himself even without his martial skills, but his strongest ability is the strength that sustains his allies.

Casting: The faithful shepherd may combine spheres and talents to create magical effects. The faithful shepherd is considered a Mid-Caster and uses Wisdom as his casting ability modifier. (Note: All casters gain 2 bonus talents and may select a casting tradition the first time they gain the casting class feature.)

This replaces the spells class feature.

Spell Pool: The faithful shepherd gains a small reservoir of energy he can call on to create truly wondrous effects, called a spell pool. This pool contains a number of spell points equal to his level + his Wisdom modifier (minimum: 1). This pool replenishes once per day after roughly 8 hours of rest.

Keep the Flock: The faithful shepherd gains the Life and Protection spheres as bonus magic talents, and uses his class level as his caster level with these spheres. This stacks with other sources of caster levels normally.

This replaces domain bonus spells.

Positive Channeling: A faithful shepherd must choose positive energy as the energy he channels with his channel energy class feature. The faithful shepherd uses his casting ability in place of Charisma to determine uses per day, saving throw DC, and all other effects when channeling energy.

This modifies channel energy.

Divine Works: The faithful shepherd has been gifted by his deity with minor miracles he can use to protect and heal his allies - and to spread the good word. The faithful shepherd gains 1 divine work at 1st level, and an additional divine work every odd level after the 1st, for a total of 10 at 19th level. Each divine work may be chosen once only. He may choose from the following works:

Aid the Faithful (Ex): Whenever the faithful shepherd uses an ability that heals an ally within the area of one of his wards, that ally gains additional hit points equal to the faithful shepherd’s casting ability modifier. This cannot add more healing than the original ability healed, and does not apply to abilities that grant fast healing or regeneration.

Ask for a Sign (Su) (requires 3rd level): As a standard action, the faithful shepherd may spend a use of his channel energy ability to create a sign. The sign appears in the air over the shepherd, and remains in one location, active for a number of rounds equal to his casting ability modifier. The sign duplicates the effect of one of the exorcist hedgewitch’s sanctions, chosen when the sign is created, as if the shepherd were a hedgewitch of equal level. He may only have one sign active at a time; using this ability ends any previous sign, and he may not use a sign that would affect himself.

Condemn the Unholy (Su) (requires 7th level): As a standard action, the faithful shepherd may spend a use of his channel energy ability to force an extraplanar creature within 30 ft. back to its proper plane of existence if it fails a Will save versus a DC equal to 10 + 1/2 the faithful shepherd’s class level + his casting ability modifier. If the effect is successful, the creature is instantly teleported away to its native plane of existence.

Divine Guidance (Ex): With his deity’s favored weapon, the faithful shepherd can use his casting ability modifier instead of his Strength or Dexterity modifier on attack rolls.

Divine Inspiration (Ex): By communing with his deity, the faithful shepherd gains access to expanded knowledge. As a standard action, he may spend a use of his channel energy ability to gain an insight bonus to a knowledge skill of his choice equal to 1/2 his class level. This bonus lasts until he rests and regains the uses of his channel energy ability. He may use this ability multiple times, each time choosing a different knowledge skill.

Give Heart (Su): Whenever the faithful shepherd creates a ward, he may invigorate every ally within the area of the ward as a free action. This is considered only one use of the invigorate ability, regardless of the number of allies affected.

Grant Protection (Ex) (requires 5th level): The faithful shepherd gains a talent from the Protection sphere that he qualifies for. Whenever he rests for 8 hours and regains spell points, he may change which Protection sphere talent he gains from this work.

Hand of the Gods (Ex) (requires 5th level): The faithful shepherd gains a channeling feat that he qualifies for. Whenever he rests for 8 hours and regains spell points, he may change which channeling feat he gains from this work.

Heal the Sick (Su): When the faithful shepherd heals with his channel energy ability, he may include any ally with an aegis he created in the effect of his channel energy, as long as they are within line of sight.

Holy Presence (Ex): The faithful shepherd may choose a (consecration) talent from the Fate sphere. He may create a ward that duplicates the effects of that consecration within its boundary. This ward is a Protection sphere talent, and uses the faithful shepherd’s Protection caster level to determine effects. If creating the consecration would normally require a spell point to be spent, he must still spend that spell point.

Instill Virtue (Su) (requires 3rd level): The weapons of any ally under the effect of any aegis the faithful shepherd created are considered aligned (with the faithful shepherd’s alignment) for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction.

Keep the Faith (Su) (requires 3rd level): The faithful shepherd may spend a standard action to create a 30 ft. aura that gives special protection to himself and any allies within range. When he creates this aura, he chooses a (ward) talent he possesses other than the barrier ward: he and all allies within are protected as if they were within a ward of this type cast by a caster with a caster level equal to the faithful shepherd’s class level. The aura is not a true ward and can not trigger effects related to wards, and enemies are not affected by the aura. The aura remains until the faithful shepherd chooses a different (ward) talent to create an aura with or until he dies, and can last indefinitely. Only one aura may be in effect at any given time.

Minister to the Faithful (Su) (requires 9th level): Any ally within a 30 ft. radius of the faithful shepherd or inside one of his wards may, as a standard action, use one of the faithful shepherd’s Life or Protection sphere abilities on himself. The sphere effect must have a casting time of one standard action or less. The sphere effect is cast as if the faithful shepherd had himself cast it, and is considered his effect. Any spell points used are lost by the faithful shepherd. This sphere effect may only target the ally and can not be combined with abilities that allow sphere abilities to target multiple creatures. The faithful shepherd must be willing to allow this to happen, but does not need to be conscious or aware.

Omniscience (Ex) (requires 7th level): As a standard action, you may spend a use of your channel energy ability to grant yourself the benefit of any one magic talent or channeling feat you don’t possess. This effect lasts for 1 minute. You must meet all of the feat’s prerequisites, or if gaining a magic talent other than a base sphere, you must possess that talent’s base sphere. Multiple uses of this ability do not stack. If you use this ability again before the previous duration has expired, it replaces the previous use.

Pray for a Miracle (Ex): The faithful shepherd can use any (succor) talent he possess on any ally within 30 ft. or the range of his Protection abilities (whichever is farther) without sacrificing an aegis. He must instead spend a spell point.

Punish the Unfaithful (Ex): The faithful shepherd gains a circumstance bonus to damage equal to his casting ability modifier with all melee attacks made on enemies within a ward he created.

Purify the Sinners (Ex): The faithful shepherd may choose a (totem) talent from the War sphere. He may create a ward that duplicates the effects of that totem within its boundary. This ward is a Protection sphere talent, and uses the faithful shepherd’s Protection caster level to determine effects. If creating the totem would normally require a spell point to be spent, he must still spend that spell point.

Serve Life (Ex) (requires 5th level): The faithful shepherd gains a talent from the Life sphere that he qualifies for. Whenever he rests for 8 hours and regains spell points, he may change which Life sphere talent he gains from this work.

Show Mercy (Su): When the faithful shepherd channels energy, he uses d8s instead of d6s to determine the effect.

Take on Suffering (Su): As an immediate action, the faithful shepherd may spend a spell point to redirect a ranged attack or ranged ability targeting an ally within 30 ft. to himself. This decision may be made after it is determined if the attack hits the ally.

Tireless Devotion (Ex) (requires 9th level): The faithful shepherd may use Protection and Life sphere abilities even while dazed, nauseated, or stunned. Whenever he is under any of these effects, he may still take a standard action in order to use a sphere ability. If the character is nauseated, this standard action is in place of the move action usually allowed. He must spend an extra spell point to do this, in addition to the normal costs of the ability.